After Damascus had been encircled by Desert Mounted Corps on 30 September, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade advanced through the city on 1 October to charge and capture remnants of the Ottoman Yildirim Army Group withdrawing along the road north to Rayak and Homs.

Early the next morning a large column of retreating German and Ottoman combatants was seen moving towards a pass just north of Khan Ayash.

The day after the victory at the Battle of Megiddo, the pursuit to Damascus began on 26 September, when the 4th Cavalry Division advanced east across the Jordan River to Irbid and on to Deraa which was captured by Sherifial forces.

[8][9] During the cavalry phase of the Battle of Sharon the Australian Mounted Division's 3rd Light Horse Brigade had captured Jenin in the evening of 20 September 1918.

[13] However, Liman von Sanders realised he could not defend the city and withdrew his Yildirim Army Group headquarters north to Aleppo.

[14] Only von Oppen's force which had travelled by train direct to Rayak before the Barda Gorge was closed and the 146th Regiment remained "disciplined formations.

[13][16][17] These retreating Ottoman army units passed through the outposts established by Colonel von Oppen's Asia Corps at Rayak.

[13] By midnight on 30 September, the Australian Mounted Division was at El Mezze 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west of the city with orders to block the road to Beirut and the road north to Homs, Hama and Aleppo, the 5th Cavalry Division at Kaukab was ordered to the east of Damascus, while the 4th Cavalry Division was at Zeraqiye 34 miles (55 km) south of Damascus on the Pilgrims' Road with the 11th Cavalry Brigade at Khan Deinun and Arab Sherifial forces north east of Ashrafiye.

[8][20][21] The 3rd Light Horse Brigade subsequently bivouacked outside Damascus during the night of 30 September/1 October, having establishing picket lines to "prevent all troops except Sherifian Regulars from entering the city."

[23][24] After taking the surrender of Damascus, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was involved in virtually continual skirmishes throughout the day, in short but severe engagements as they moved north along the Homs road in pursuit of the retreating columns.

The column was protected here by a strong fortress defended by a rearguard armed with about 20 machine guns established by the Fourth Army's German 146th Regiment.

[34] "The brigade galloped on, through a hot fire, and charged clean through the enemy force, killing a large number of them ..."[35] An advanced guard of cavalry also surrendered to the leading squadrons.